Amidst the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Access Holdings CEO Herbert Wigwe and other prominent Nigerians in California, US aviation lawyer Robert Clifford has voiced his concerns, suggesting the accident could have been avoided.
Clifford, Founder of Clifford Law Offices in Chicago, conveyed his apprehensions in a press release on Wednesday, questioning the decision to fly in adverse weather conditions.
The statement, posted on Clifford Law Offices website read in part, “The crash of a helicopter that killed six people including a top Nigerian banker and his family along the California-Nevada border Saturday night immediately strikes one as a tragedy that may have been avoided given the known weather conditions at that time.”
The Airbus Helicopter EC130B4, carrying six occupants, plummeted at a border town between California and Nevada, prompting an investigation by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
While the NTSB probes continue, Clifford’s statement underscored the importance of scrutinizing the circumstances surrounding the crash and determining its preventability.
Expressing hope for insights from the ongoing investigation, Clifford emphasized the need for thorough examination to uncover the root cause of the tragedy.
“The National Transportation Safety Board investigators will thoroughly examine all aspects of what led up to the crash and ultimately will use their expertise to determine the probable cause of this crash to see if it was avoidable,” Clifford said.
He added, “It is always a horrific tragedy when innocent lives are lost in an aviation disaster.”
Meanwhile, the NTSB has urged the Federal Aviation Administration to mandate enhancements to cockpit voice recorders and flight data recorders to ensure crucial data is preserved, citing recent incidents where overwritten data hindered investigations.
As the aviation community grapples with the aftermath of yet another devastating crash, attention turns to the NTSB’s efforts to enhance safety measures and prevent future tragedies.
